Plunger closures of containers



Jan. 20, 1959 M. L. LOCKHART 2,869,745

PLUNGER CLOSURE-S OF CONTAINERS Filed 'Feb. 5, '1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 1Jan. 20, 1959 M. L. LOCKHART PLUNGER CLOSURES OF CONTAINERS Filed Feb.5. 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 United States Patent 2,869,745 PLUNGER CLOSURESOF CONTAINERS Marshall L. Loclrhart, Rutherford, N. J., assignor to TheCompule Corporation, Rutherford, N. J., a corporation of New JerseyApplication February 5, 1954, Serial No. 408,460

2 Claims. (Cl. 215-6) The present invention relates to plunger closuresof containers for medicaments and the like, and, more particularly, tosuch closures suited for use in plural-com partment admixing vials forsegregated storage of ingredients of solutions and liquid mixtures ofthe types described and claimed in my Patent No. 2,610,628 of September16, 1952, and my copending patent applica tion Serial No. 325,169, filedDecember 10, 1952, now Patent No. 2,695,614.

A general object of the present invention is to provide such plungerclosures of simple and inexpensive construction, economically producibleon a mass production basis, which permit rapid loading and securesealing of containers with minimum care and skill, and assure limitedtravel of the plungers to a predetermined extentto avoid any tendencyfor undue displacement thereof.

A more specific object of the invention is to provide such plungerclosures in the form of piston plugs for a closing slidable fit in theends of tubular structures or mouths of vials, and which are provided onthe outer portions or ends thereof with enlargements or enlarged headmeans effectively to limit inward thrust thereof.

A further object of the present invention is to provide such a headedpiston plug which, by virtue of the provision of an enlargement orenlarged head on the outer portion or end thereof, cannotunintentionally be thrust forward in the elongated constricted neck of avial to an extent permitting displacement therefrom into the enlargedbody of the vial with loss of secure closure and sealing of the latter.

Another object of the present invention is to provide embodiments ofsuch a plunger closure piston plug characterized by supplemental meanslimiting outward withdrawal of the headed piston plug further to assuremaintenance of effective closure of the tube or vial.

A still further object of the invention is to provide structuralembodiments of the device which, while being readily constructed andfitted to containers, allow efflcientuse and operation thereof.

Other objects of the invention will in part be obvious and will in partappear hereinafter.

The invention accordingly comprises the features of construction,combinations of elements, and arrangement of parts, which will beexemplified in the constructions hereinafter set forth, and the scope ofthe invention will be indicated in the claims.

For a fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the invention,reference should be had to the following detailed description taken inconnection with the accom panying drawings, in which:

Fig. l is an elevational view of an embodiment of the plunger closuremeans of the present invention and a loaded vial closed thereby, showingthe piston plug in firing position;

Fig. 2 is an axial section of the structure shown in Fig. 1, with theplunger closure means thereof being shown in elevation;

"ice

Fig. 3 is an axial section similar to Fig. :2 but with the plungerclosure means thereof also sectioned axially, illustrating firingoperation of the loaded vial;

Fig. 4 is an elevational view similar to Fig. 1 of another embodiment ofthe present invention;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged sectional view, with parts broken away, takensubstantially on line 5-5 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is an exploded perspective view to enlarged scale of the plungerclosure means of the Figs. 4 and 5 embodiment comprising a capping ringor collar and piston plug;

Fig. 7 is a detail view of the plunger closure means shown in Fig. 6with the ring or collar axially sectioned and shown mounted or anchoredon the neck of a vial of the type illustrated in Figs. 1 to 4 inclusiveand with a portion of the latter also shown in axial section;

Fig. 8 is .a detail view similar to Fig. 7 of the structure showntherein but with the piston plug also axially sectioned and illustratingfinal mounting manipulation of the capping ring or collar and the firingthrust of the piston plug;

Fig. 9 is a top plan view with parts broken away of a modified form ofvial neck and capping ring or collar structure; 1

Fig. 10 is an elevational view similar to Fig. 1 of a further embodimentof the present invention;

Fig. 11 is an axial section similar to Fig. 2 of the embodiment shown inFig. 10;

Fig. 12 is a top plan view of the modified form of capping ring orcollar and piston plug mounted therein which may be employed in theFigs. 10 and 11 embodiment;

Fig. 13 is .a top plan view of the piston plug shown in Fig. 12;

Fig. 14 is a perspective view of the capping ring or collar and pistonplug shown in Figs. 12 and 13 and illustrating the assembly of thepiston plug in the collar;

Fig. 15 is a perspective view of another form of capping ring or collarof the present invention;

Fig, 16 is a plan view of the capping ring or collar shown in Fig. 15and a perspective view of a piston plug, such as that illustrated inFigs. 4 to 8 inclusive, depicting assembly of the latter in the former;

Fig. 17 is a top plan view of the capping ring or collar and piston plugof Fig. 16 after coassembly thereof and following manipulation of partsof the capping ring to assure securement thereto of the piston plug; and

Fig. 18 is a top plan view of the capping ring or collar of Fig. 15illustrating another manner of manipulation of parts thereof to serve asa finished element of the apparatus of the present invention.

Referring to the drawings, in which like numerals identify similar partsthroughout, it will be seen from Figs. 1 to 3 inclusive that anembodiment of the present invention may comprise an elongated vial 20constricted at 21 between its top end 22 and bottom end 23, preferablyin the mid-section thereof, to provide a circular internal seat 24. Thevial 20 has its bottom end 23 preferably closed off by an integraltransverse wall 25 which forms with the constricted mid-section 21 a faror bottom chamber 26 into which any suitable materials 27, such as amass of soluble solids or solute, are loaded. The other, or top, end 22of vial 20 preferably is provided with an elongated, substantiallycylindrical neck 28 which defines with the constricted mid-section 21 asecond storage chamber 29 in which a body 30 of liquid vehicle orsolvent may be stored with segregation of the chambers26 and 29 by asuitable elastic gate plug 31 when seated as shown in the seat 24. Thus,the vial 20 is in the form of a tubular container which, for thepurposes of the present invention, need not be of the con-z strictedwaist type illustrated to be suitably employable for certain services.The tubular neck 28 constitutes an end section of the tubular container20 to provide a tubular mouth defined at the top end 22 by an end edgewhich may be the marginal edge of the container and/ or any overlyingstructure, such as a capping ring or collar, as will be clear from thedescription here following of other embodiments of the presentinvention. In the device illustrated in Figs. 1 to 3 inclusive, thetubular neck 28 has a bore 32 of substantially uniform diameter from theend edge at 22 to its inner end 33 where, if desired, it may beconstricted to tend to avoid displacement of plunger or piston plugmeans in the neck into the chamber 29. Preferably, the neck 28 of thevial 2b is provided at its top end 22 with an outside annular bead 34which may serve a capping ring or collar anchoring purpose, ashereinafter explained in connection with other illustrated embodiments.The outer beaded end 22 of the neck 28 constitutes lip means either asan end edge or circular beaded lip per se or that end edge with anoverlying capping ring or collar.

In accordance with the present invention, the embodiment of Figs. 1 to 3inclusive includes plunger closure means for the top end 22 of the via]20, which may be in the form of a piston plug 35. The piston plug 35preferably comprises a unitary mass of elastic or rubber like materialincluding a piston body 36, which may be substantially cylindrical andof a diameter slightly larger than the neck bore 32 so as slidably tofit snugly in the latter for sealing otf the top end 22 of the vial 2.0.The piston plug 35 also preferably has formed integral with the pistonbody 36, an outwardly-extending thrust post 37 which may be of adiameter substantially equal to that of the piston body portion 36 butpreferably is of reduced section, as is illustrated. The thrust post 37carries an enlargement 38 preferably in the form of alaterally-extending head, as shown in Figs. 1 to 3 inclusive, and thecombined length of the piston body 36 and post 37 inward of the head 38is such relative to the length of the neck bore 32 as to assure sealingretention of the piston body in the neck 28 when thrust is applied tothe head 38 in the direction of the arrow 39, shown in Fig. 3, to bringthe inner side of the head to juxtaposition or abutment of the beadedlip 3 of the vial neck 28. Although the constriction 33 at the bottom ofthe neck 28 tends to avoid displacement of the piston plug into the vialor its enlarged upper chamber 29 with inward thrust, the provision ofthe enlarged head 38 on the thrust post assures that such inward travelwill be stopped positively by the stop means provided by the beaded lip34 before the piston body 36 has traveled inwardly a distance suflicientto free it from the inner end of the neck bore 32, especially ifconstriction 33 be omitted as may be desired in some containerstructures.

in operation of the loaded apparatus illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, onemay fire the loaded device by applying thrust to the head 38 of thepiston plug 35, such as with his thumb as he grasps the loaded vial inone hand. As a result, the piston plug 35 is thrust down into the neckbore 32 from the position illustrated in Fig. 2 to the positionillustrated in Fig. 3. This reduces the capacity of the liquid chamber29 to apply hydraulic pressure to the upper end of the gate plug 31 of adegree sufiicient to unseat the latter and push it forward out of thewaist seat 24 into the bottom or far chamber 26, as illustrated in Fig.3. This action brings about intercommunicationbetween the chambers 29and 26 to permit the body of liquid to spill down or flow into thesolids chamber 26, there to mix with or dissolve the latter forformation of an admixture or solution with, if desired, suitable shakingagitation of the vial or fired device. Limitation of inward travel ofthe piston plug by abutment of the plunger head 38 with the beaded lip34 or the vial neck 28 assures "retention of the piston solute isintended for medicinal administration, such as hypodermic injection.

Another embodiment of the present invention may comprise, as isillustrated in Figs. 4 to 8 inclusive, a plunger structure or pistonplug and a capping ring or collar 40 together serving as plunger closuremeans for the vial 20 or other tubular container. As there illustrated,the piston plug 135, preferably in the form of a unitary mass of elasticor rubber-like material, has a substantially cylindrical piston body136, a coaxially-arranged thrust post 137 of reduced crosssection and ahead 13% which is preferably of lateral circular shape, as shown, andabout the same diameter as the piston body 136. Since the tubularcontainer or vial 20 may be intended for the admixture of solvent andsolute of a medicinal preparation for parenteral or hyporlermicadministration or injection, it is desirable that the sealing closure bythe plunger means he maintained after forward thrust in the vial neck toeffect unseating of the segregating gate plug 31. Accordingly, it isdesirable to provide the piston plug 135 with means to permit suctionwithdrawal of the admixture or solution from the vial by means of asuction cannula or hollow hypodermic needle. Such means may be providedin the form of an axial recess 41 extending from the inner or lower endof the piston body 136 up through the thrust post 137 into the enlargedhead 138 to provide in the latter a central, relatively thin closingmembrane 42 which may be pierced readily by a cannula or needle fordirect access to the housed admixture or solution.

As is illustrated in Figs. 5 to 8 incl., the capping ring or collar 49may be in the form of a cupped structure having a cylindrical side wallor skirt 43 terminating in a bottom edge 44 and a transverse top 45 inwhich a hole 46 is axially formed. As is indicated in Fig. 5, thediameter of the hole 46 is preferably slightly larger than the outerdiameter of the thrust post 137 so that the latter is readily slidabletherethrough, but the hole diameter should be appreciably smaller thanthe diameter of the piston plug head 138 so that the marginal edge ofthe hole or portions thereof will underlie the head or annular rimformed thereby, as indicated in Fig. 8, to limit inward thrust of thepiston plug. The zone of the capping ring top 45 constituting themarginal edge of the hole 46 therethrough is preferably radially slit ata plurality of points thereabout so as to provide a plurality of tabs37-47 which may be bent outwardly, as illustrated in Figs. 6 and 7, toincrease the size of the hole so as readily to receive therethrough thepiston plug head 138, as is illustrated by the arrow 48 in Fig. 6, andas will be more clearly understood from the showing in Fig. 7.

As proposed in Figs. 6, 7 and 8, the capping ring 40 may be assembled tothe piston plug 135 by inserting the head 138 of the latter through theenlarged hole 46 and then the piston body 136 may be mounted in the vialneck bore 32 to close the container 20 with the cylindrical side wall orskirt 43 of the capping ring telescoped down over the beaded lip 34.Thereafter, the tabs 4747 may be bent back to a substantially commonlateral plane, as illustrated in Figs. 5 and 8, so

that their inner ends form inwardly-projecting means I underlying therim of the piston head 138 to provide stop means for limiting inwardmotion of the piston .plug. Also, the bottom edge 44 of the capping ring40 will be turned or spun inwardly beneath the bead 34 from the dottedline position shown in Fig. 7 to the full line position indicatedtherein and in Figs. 4 and 8, so as to anchor or securely mount thecapping ring upon the beaded lip of the vial neck 28. However, it is tobe understood that, if desired, after the piston plug 135 is mounted tothe capping ring 46) by insertion of the head 138 of the former throughthe enlarged hole 46, as proposed in Fig. 6, the outwardly-turned tabs47-47 may then be bent back to the common lateral plane, as in Fig. 8,before the capping ring and piston plug assembly constituting theplunger closure is applied to the tubular container or the vial neck 28.a

In operation of the assembled device of Figs. 4 and 7, thrust is appliedto the piston plug head 138 to slide the piston plug 135 into the neckbore from the dot-dash position illustrated in Fig. 8, in the directionof the arrow 139, to the full line position shown therein. The cappingring 40 serves as stop means by virtue of the fact that the tabs 47-47underlie or are disposed in the path of the enlarged head 138, or thelateral rim en largement on the thrust post 137 provided by this head,to limit inward motion of the piston plug 135 in the neck bore 32. Thus,the capping ring serves as a part of the lip means at the mouth of thevial neck 28 and is abutted by the piston plug head 138 for limitationof such inward thrust and the piston plug head is thereby juxtaposed tothe beaded lip of the vial neck, which constitutes the other portion ofsuch lip means. Also, since the piston body 136 of the piston plug 135is of a diameter greater than the capping ring hole 46, the tabs 47-47,when disposed in the common lateral plane as, indicated in Fig. 8, alsoserve as stop means to limit outward sliding motion of the piston plugto prevent it from being freed accidentally from the neck bore.

As illustrated in Fig. 9, it is not essential that the means providedfor anchorage of the capping ring or collar 40 to the neck of thetubular container be uninterruptedly annular or circular. As thereproposed, such bead structure may be interrupted to provide a pluralityof lateral, outwardly-extending projections 134-134 over which aninterrupted skirt, in the form of a plurality of depending tabs 143-143,may be crimped for secure anchorage of the capping ring 140 to the vialneck 128. Whether the capping ring is in the form proposed in Figs. 4 to8 incl. or Fig. 9, it preferably is formed of readily bendable metallicmaterial, such as, for example, aluminum, so as to facilitate the spunor crimped anchorage thereof and the manipulation of the tabs 47-47.

As proposed in Figs. 10 to 14 incl., the capping ring or collar may bein the form illustrated at 240, comprising a cylindrical skirt 43 havinga bottom edge 44 spun or turned under the bottle neck bead 34 and withits transverse top 145 provided with a substantially circular hole 146of a diameter appreciably less than the outer diameter of piston body136 but greater than the diameter of thrust post 137. The piston plug235 of Figs. 10 to 14 incl. embodiment includes piston body 136, theintegral, coaxially-arranged thrust post 137 and an enlarged head 238,and is also preferably formed as a unitary body from suitable elastic orrubber-like material. The enlarged head 238 is, as is best seen in Figs.12 and 13, preferably shaped in a lateral plane as an oblong, oval orelliptical enlargement to form diametrically-opposed,laterally-extending projections or wings 49, 49 arranged along the majoraxis thereof. The dimension of the elliptical head 238 along this majoraxis is appreciably greater than the diameter of the capping ring hole146, as will be seen from Fig. 12, so that the projections or wings 49,49 overlie the top 145 of the capping ring whereby thelatter effectivelyserves as stop means to limit inward thrust of the piston plug 235.However, the lesser dimension of the elliptical head 238 along the minoraxis between the points 50, 50 is appreciably less than the diameter ofthe capping ring hole 146 so that the head 238 may be edge insertedthrough the capping ring hole. As illustrated in Fig. 14, the pistonplug 235 may be mounted to or coassembled with the capping ring 240 bytilting the plug so that one of its projections or wings 49 may beinserted up through the hole 146 and then moved laterally so as finallyto work through the hole the remaining projection or Wing 49, whichaction of assembly is facilitated by virtue of the flexibility andelasticity of the head. Thereafter, the assembled closure meansillustrated in Fig..l4 may be mounted to a tubular container, such asthe vial 20, as illustrated in Figs. 10 and 11, by telescoping the,capping ring skirt 43 down over the bead 34 and spinning under the edge44. The interengaging insertion of elastic head 238 into the cappingring hole 146 and through the ring 240 to coaxial relation of thecapping ring, and the piston plug of the Figs. 10 to 14 incl. embodimentis thus as simple a procedure as that necessary to the interengagingcoassembly of the piston plug 135 and capping ring 40 of the Figs. 4 to8 incl. embodiment and, possibly simpler, since it eliminates thenecessityof slitting an inner marginal zone of the capping ring and thenbending out and back the so-formed tabs 47-47.

As illustrated in Figs. 15, 16 and 17, capping rings constitutingmodified forms of the capping ring illustrated in Figs. 5 to 8 inclusivemay be employed for a similar purpose with the formation of fewer tabsby slitting only diametrically opposite portions of the inner marginalzone of the capping ring. For example, capping ring 340 may be providedwith dependent cylindrical skirt 43 terminating in bottom edge 44 forspinning under a lip head with its transverse top 245 provided with acircular hole 246. The inner marginal zone ofthe apertured cap top 245,constituting a marginaledge of the hole 246, may be radially slit atonly three points on each of the twoopposed sides to form two pairs ofopposed tabs147-147. When the tabs 147-147 are turned outwardly, asproposed in Figs. 15 and 16, the hole 246 is enlarged to provide anoblong aperture, as is best seen in Fig. 16, readily to receivetherethrough head 138 of piston plug 135. Of course, the remainingdiametrically-opposed portions 51, 51 are spaced apart a distanceintermediate the diameter of the thrust post 137 on the one hand and thediameters of the head 138 and piston body 136 on the other hand, so thatthe inwardly-projecting portions 5 1, 51 are disposed in paths ofportions of the piston plug head and piston body to limit relativeinward and outward move- .ment of the piston plug. After the piston plughead 138 is inserted through the oblong aperture in the capping ring top245, as illustrated in Fig. 16, the tabs 147-147 may then be bent backdown or returned to the common'transverse plane, as proposed in Fig. 17,so that inner edge portions of the tabs 147-147, as well as the inneredge portions of the inwardly-extending projections 51, 51, underlie therim of the head 138 to facilitate the stoppage of the relative slidingmotion.

As proposed in Fig. 18, if desired, the outwardly-bent tabs 147-147 may,instead of being returned to their original positions, be bent backfurther upon and lapped down upon the top surface 245 of the cappingring or collar 340 so as to retain the enlarged hole 346 into whichdiametrically opposed projections 51, 51 may exte'nd inwardly to servealone as the stop means. Thereis little or no likelihood that the pistonplug head 138 will be disengaged from the Fig. 18 capping ring 340 afterthe capping ring has been anchored to the beaded lip of the tubularcontainer 20 with the piston body 136 slidably received in the mouthsection or :neck bore 32 since, by virtue of their relative mounting inthose manners to the tubular container, they are maintained in coaxialrelation with the stop projections 51, 51 extending into the paths ofportions of the piston plug head 138 and the piston body.

It will thus be seen that the objects set forth above, among those madeapparent from the preceding description, are efiiciently attained and,since certain changes may be made in the above constructions withoutdeparting from the scope of the invention, it is intended that allmatter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanyingdrawings shall be interpreted as illnstrative and not in a limitingsense.

It is also to be understood that the following claims are intended tocover all of the generic and specific features of the invention hereindescribed, and all statements of the scope of the invention which, as amatter of language, might be said to fall therebetween.

Having described my invention, what I. claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent is:

1. Plunger closure means for a container having an elongated beaded neckcomprising, in combination; a capping ring adapted to be anchored on theend of the beaded neck and having a central hole; and a unitary pistonplug of elastic material having a substantially cylindrical piston bodyslidably to fit snugly in the neck, an elongated thrust 'posticoaxiallyextending from said body and a transverse head on the outer end of saidpost; said ring being of bendable metallic material with its hole beingsubstantially circular and said post being substantially circuiar'incross-section of a diameter somewhat less than the diameter of the holefor ready sliding therethrough, said head and piston bodies beinglaterally substantially circular and of diameters appreciably largerthan the hole, the marginal edge of the hole being sub stantiallyradially slit to provide bendable tabs initially turned out-to enlargethe hole for ready insertion of the head therethrough, said out-turnedtabs being readily returned to a substantially common plane after headinsertion for reformation of the circular hole of lesser diameter thanthe diameters of said piston body and head to form stop means for axialinward and outward sliding of said plug relative to said ring.

2. Plunger closure means for a container having an elongated beaded neckcomprising, in combination; a capping ring adapted to be anchored on theend of the beaded neck and having a central hole; and a unitary pistonplug of elastic material having a substantially cylindrical piston. bodysliclably to fit snugly in the neck, an elongated thrust post coaxiallyextending from said body and a transverse head on the outer end of said'post', said post being substantially circular in cross section, saidpiston body and said head being laterally substantially circular and ofdiameters greater than that of said post, and the hole being defined ondiametrically opposite sides by bent out tabs formed by radial slittingof the marginal edge of. an initially smaller hole of a width greaterthan the diameter of said post, the intervening portions of the marginaledge of the initial hole being unbent to provide opposed inwardlyextending projections spaced transversely a distance intermediate thepost diameter and the diameters of said piston body and head to serve asstop means for abutment by said piston body and head in axial inward andoutward sliding of said plug relative to said ring.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,007,679 Ellis et al. NOV. 7, 1911 1,529,659 Marcy Mar. 17, 19252,192,087 Kost Feb. 27, 1940 2,610,628 Lockhart Sept. 16, 1952 2,670,871Spiess et al. Mar. 2, 1954

